Household Job Descriptions

What is a Nanny?

Primary Functions: The International Nanny Association defines a nanny as one “employed by the family on either a live-in or live-out basis to undertake all tasks related to the care of children. Duties are generally restricted to childcare and the domestic tasks related to childcare. May or may not have had any formal training, though often has a good deal of actual experience. Nanny’s work week ranges from 40 to 60 hours per week. Usually works unsupervised.”

4nannies.com notes that a nanny is more than a baby-sitter. The nanny job is the best paying childcare career – and for good reason! Nannies are expected to participate in the social, emotional, and intellectual development of their charges, and will work with the child(ren) on such areas a language development, potty training, social manners, homework, and more. Most families request that a nanny make a minimum commitment of one year to the job. This is to make sure that the children have continuity in their childcare. Candidates who do not feel that they can commit to a year might consider other types of childcare work until they are comfortable with the commitment.

Before applying for a nanny position, the candidate should ask herself the following questions to judge her suitability for the work:

• Are you patient? Can you handle 8-10 hours on a stretch with a small child, perhaps with no other adult companionship? Are you reliable and trustworthy?
• Are you flexible enough to perform your childcare responsibilities according to the family’s rules?
• Are you a self-starter with initiative who can organize his/her day to accomplish all required tasks, while not neglecting your charge(s)?
• With children, things do not always go according to plan. Are you adaptable and flexible enough to change your routine to accommodate the sick child, for example, or the lost sneakers when you are on a deadline, without becoming upset?

A nanny may work eight to ten hours per day, generally five days per week. A nanny will generally expect two consecutive days off weekly. A nanny may live in or live out. The nanny should have some previous verifiable child care experience or equivalent training/education. The nanny works under the minimal supervision of the family (adult members) and must be a self-starter, show sound judgment, be committed to the well-being of children, and be able to take initiative.

Many candidates for nanny positions have held previous employment as CDAs (Child Development Associate) or CNAa (Certified Nurse Assistants). The CDA is a credential. It usually involves one year of preparation and assessment. Although the CDA is not a college degree, college courses often assist the applicant preparing for a CDA. The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition awards the CDA credential. A CNA, Certified Nurse Assistant, provides direct personal care for aged and impaired individuals who require assistance with the activities of daily living under the supervision of a nurse. Credentialing of the CNA varies from state to state and may or may not be regulated.

What is a Nanny/Housekeeper?

Primary Functions: The nanny/housekeeper has the dual responsibilities for the care of a family’s children and their home. The nanny/housekeeper typically works in an environment where the family’s children spend significant time daily out of the home, generally at school. The nanny/housekeeper’s childcare responsibilities include full supervision of children while they are in the home, attention to their meals, dressing, and hygiene. The nanny/housekeeper’s housekeeping responsibilities include daily making beds and general straightening, children’s laundry and bedding; dust and polish furniture; sweep, and mop floors; maintain bathrooms; and vacuum.

Secondary Functions: Heavy housekeeping responsibilities are generally not the responsibility of the nanny/housekeeper. The nanny/housekeeper may occasionally clean ovens, refrigerators, and wax floors; may do parent’s laundry and bedding; may run family errands. May supervise outside vendors in the home (carpet cleaning, window washing, plumbing, etc.).

A danger in combining the nanny/housekeeper job functions is that there may be conflict between the various aspects of the job responsibilities. Depending on the number of hours the children are in the house, the cleaning responsibilities may suffer. It is VERY RARE to successfully combine the nanny/housekeeper responsibilities when there are children under 6 in the household.

A nanny/housekeeper may work eight to ten hours per day, generally five days per week. A nanny/housekeeper will generally expect two consecutive days off weekly. A nanny/housekeeper may live in or live out. Should have some previous verifiable child care experience or equivalent training/education. The nanny/housekeeper works under the minimal supervision of the family (adult members) and must be a self-starter, show sound judgment, be committed to the well-being of children, and be able to take initiative.

What is a Nanny/Governess?

Primary Functions: The nanny/governess is an educationally qualified individual responsible to oversee the family’s children and their upbringing. She is typically responsible for many aspects of education, may home-school the children, and may be responsible for putting them to bed, getting them to their lessons, and any other typical job of a parent. The nanny/governess will organize play dates and other activities; maintain the bedrooms, play areas and clothing, prepare the children’s meals, all in the context of an educational, comfortable and safe environment. The nanny/governess typically has minimal responsibilities for domestic chores not directly related to the children.

The International Nanny Association defines a nanny/governess as “Traditionally an educationally-qualified person employed by families for the full-time or part-time at-home education of school-age children. Functions as a teacher and is not usually concerned with domestic work or the physical care of younger children. Hours of work by arrangement.”

Unlike the nanny, the nanny/governess should have formal college-level education in early childhood education, a teaching certificate, nursing or credentials including nanny certifications from an established, recognized institution. The nanny/governess must have previous verifiable childcare experience and show a sincere interest in working with children. Fluent written and conversational English is generally a prerequisite.

A nanny/governess may work eight to ten hours per day, generally five days per week. A nanny/governess may live in or live out. The nanny/governess job often requires travel with the children – a passport is generally required.

What is a Nanny/Household Manager?

Primary Functions: It is the exceptional candidate that can combine both of these job functions, and this individual will expect to be compensated accordingly. The nanny/household manager will undertake all tasks related to the care of children. Duties include childcare and the domestic tasks related to childcare. In addition, the nanny/household manager is responsible to hire, supervise, and coordinate the other household staff to keep the household running smoothly. This will include housekeeping/housecleaning services, contractors such as plumbers, electricians, landscaping services, and catering services.

Secondary Functions: May include such personal services such as dropping off/picking up dry cleaning, travel planning, party planning, grocery shopping, and household budgeting. The nanny/household manager typically works in a household where the children are few (1-2), older, (4+) and spend a considerable part of their time out of home in school or another supervised setting (camps for example).

A nanny/household manager typically works eight to ten hours per day, generally five days per week. A nanny/household manager may live in or live out. The nanny/household manager often has training in formal service, either through a nanny/butler/household management program or via the hotel/hospitality industry. Should have previous verifiable childcare experience and show a sincere interest in working with children.

What is a Mother’s Helper?

Primary Functions: Assists the stay at home parent with all aspects of childcare and light house work. A Mother’s Helper is a fabulous position for the younger candidate not ready, either educationally, experientially or maturity, for sole-charge child care for long periods of time. A mother’s helper provides an extra set of hands, helping the stay at home mom or dad meet their children’s demands. Often works with families with multiples, and families who home school. This individual may live in or live out. May be left in sole charge for short periods of time.

Secondary Functions: May assist with light housekeeping, run errands, light meal preparation, and any domestic chore that assists the parent.

In the US market, the role of Mother’s Helper is generally held by young women, aged 18 – 20, who plan to move into other childcare positions in the future. No special educational background, and often has babysitting experience.

What is a Newborn Care Specialist (FKA Baby Nurse)?

A Newborn Care Specialist, formerly known by the terms Baby Nurse, Maternity Nurse or Postpartum Doula, is a newborn and infant care specialist. The Newborn Care Specialist may have some level of actual nursing training, but that is not considered a prerequisite for the position. A Newborn Care Specialist will have extensive practical experience with newborns, and will have current knowledge of accepted practices in newborn care, including lactation support, Infant CPR certification, and the proper use of car seats.

The position of Newborn Care Specialist is temporary in nature. A typical assignment will range between 2 – 8 weeks, longer for preemies and special needs infants. The Newborn Care Specialist typically works 12-hour shifts, either a day shift or a night shift, but may work a 24-hour shift by arrangement.

Primary Functions: A Newborn Care Specialist’s primary responsibility is to provide the new parents assistance during the post-delivery recovery period and assist with all aspects of newborn care including feeding (including help for the nursing mom), changing, bathing, infant laundry, sterilizing bottles and helping parents establish a schedule for their baby and obtaining some much-needed rest. A Newborn Care Specialist will have good interpersonal communication skills, as a primary job function is training and educating the new parent(s).

Secondary Functions: The Newborn Care Specialist may, by agreement, provide other general household functions such as meal preparation, general laundry, and occasionally assist in the care of older siblings.

Other Considerations: A Newborn Care Specialist will generally temporarily live with the client family. She should at a minimum have a private bedroom and adequate closet/drawer space to unpack her clothing. In selected major metropolitan markets (New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles for example) a Baby Nurse working a shift may be able to do so on a come and go basis.

Wages for a Newborn Care Specialist typically range between $20 – $30 per hour, or between $160 and $400 per day, depending on whether the position is shift or 24-hour and if the care is for a single infant, twins or triplets. A Newborn Care Specialist should be contracted for a minimum of 4 weeks before the baby’s due date, and most Newborn Care Specialists will expect a retainer equal to two week’s wage to reserve their services. Many Newborn Care Specialists market their services directly to families via websites such as 4nannies.com, word of mouth from neonatal care specialists, childbirth educators and lactation consultants. Families also obtain Newborn Care Specialists through domestic referral agencies, which will collect a fee for their services in addition to the wages owed the Newborn Care Specialist.

What is a Babysitter?

A babysitter provides temporary custodial care of young children when the parents are not at home. The care typically is on a part-time or an as-needed basis. No special training or background is required; however, the babysitter should possess the ability to respond to a crisis situation, communicate effectively with parents, and have some basic first aid skills. This job, by definition, is different from that of a nanny as the babysitter is generally not involved in an ongoing basis in the emotional, physical and intellectual development of their charge. While some parents use this term interchangeably with nanny, child care professionals make a solid distinction between the terms.

Primary Functions: Custodial care means that the babysitter insures the safety of the children in their care. They may entertain or play with the children, feed them a snack or a previously prepared meal, clean the children up and put them to bed or down for a nap.

Secondary Functions: A babysitter rarely prepares food, and does not generally bathe the children, out of an abundance of caution for the children being cared for. A babysitter may clean up the kitchen after a meal, straighten up a play room after the children are asleep, or may fold a load of laundry when specifically requested to do so.

This is a position generally performed by teen-aged girls or boys on an occasional basis. A babysitter will generally only care for the children for a few hours at a time, either in the evening when mom and dad go out to dinner or a movie, or a few hours during the day to relieve the parents. Babysitters are generally paid a previously agreed to hourly or evening rate, generally set by the babysitter his/her self.

What is a Home Health Aide?

Home health aides may also be called homemaker home health aides or home attendants. These workers are employed by families with an elderly and/or disabled family member to assist the family in care giving, helping the patient remain in the home. They will follow a doctor’s treatment plan, and work under the supervision of a family member, registered nurse or physical therapist and take care of and do household chores for the elderly and disabled. They may also take care of children when their mother or father is sick or disabled.

Primary Functions: A home health aide will generally do whatever is needed for patients who can’t live alone without help. They keep a home running as normally as possible and make it possible for the sick to stay at home instead of moving to a nursing home.

The home health aides’ duties will vary. The generally include what is referred to as Activities of Daily Living or ADLs. An aide may go to the same home every day for months or years, or may provide services to multiple families. Some typical duties of the home health aid include helping the patient bathe, use the toilet or bed pan, and to move around. They may check pulse and breathing rates; they change bandages; and they help patients take their medicine. They may also do cleaning for the safety and comfort of the patient – not heavy full housekeeping. They clean and/or straighten a patient’s room, kitchen, and bathroom, may do the patient’s laundry, and change bed sheets and pillow cases. Aides may also plan meals (including special diets), shop for food, and prepare meals. In addition their regular duties, they give patients emotional support and help them to live as independently as possible. They show patients how to prepare healthy meals within the patient’s dietary restrictions and ways that patients can make due and take care of themselves in spite of their sickness or disability. The aides keep patients mentally healthy and alert by having conversations with them, playing games (crossword puzzles, scrabble, cards, etc.) and assisting them to be as physically active as is possible. They help coordinate patient care with other family members and the health care team. They report changes in the patient’s condition to the family member and/or nurse supervisor and keep records of patient care.

A home health aide will work in patients’ homes. They must be physically fit and strong, able to bend down, lift, and do other things associated with cleaning and cooking. Mechanical lifting devices that are available in a hospital or nursing home are seldom available in a private home. They must also be able to emotionally handle patients who may be suffering. They often will be required to simply listen to patients talk about their problems. Some patients are neat and pleasant, while others may be angry, depressed, and generally difficult.

Successful home health aides will enjoy helping people and not mind physically hard work. Other qualities families should look for are aides who are responsible, compassionate, emotionally stable, calm and cheerful. The aide should also be honest, tactful, and discreet. Many families will require a confidentiality agreement for aides employed in their private home.

Turnover in these positions is often high, due in part to the relatively low skill requirements, low pay, and high physical and emotional demands of the job.

What is Eldercare or Companion Care?

Companion care generally involves working with a generally healthy elderly individual who requires assistance in some Activities of Daily Living or ADLs. Assistance is non-medical in nature. An elder care companion does not generally become involved in the more detailed aspects of patient care.

Primary Functions: As the job title implies, the primary focus of an Elder Care Companion is providing emotional support and companionship to their elderly client. In addition their regular duties, they help the elderly client to live as independently as possible. Elder caregivers provide companionship services and help keep clients mentally healthy and alert by having conversations with them, playing games (crossword puzzles, scrabble, cards, etc.) and assisting them to be as physically active as is possible. The provide invaluable peace of mind to the elderly client’s family members.

Secondary Functions: A companion may do light cleaning for the safety and comfort of the patient – not heavy full housekeeping. They clean and/or straighten a client’s room, kitchen, and bathroom, may do the client’s laundry, and change bed sheets and pillow cases. Companions may also plan meals (including special diets), shop for food, and prepare meals. The companion will assist the client with activities outside the home, including driving to markets and doctor appointments. They may interact with other family members, particularly by reporting changes in the client’s condition to the family member.

A companion will have many of the same characteristics of a home health aide, absent training and/or experience with patient care. A companion, unlike the home health aide, does not have as physically demanding of a position as the client is generally more mobile and healthy. The companion’s role is more of a confidant and friend, relieving the loneliness of an older adult living alone, and assuaging the concerns of family members about the overall well being of the client.

What is a Personal Assistant?

A personal assistant is a domestic service professional who is primarily engaged in managing the social and professional demands of an employer. A personal assistant generally lives out and may be employed on a full time or part time basis. A personal assistant may also be known as a social secretary.

Primary Functions: The duties of a personal assistant may include:

• Make travel arrangements
• Book appointments, manage the household calendar
• Assist in the planning and organization of parties and other engagements
• Errands (shopping, gift purchases, dry cleaning)
• Manage the household bill payment
• Making reservations, placing orders
• Special projects

Personal assistants generally have a college degree and relevant corporate employment experience. The personal assistant will have strong computer and organizational skills, and may be required to travel with the employer. A personally assistant will generally earn $18 – $40 per hour, or $40K – $100K on a full time basis.

What is a Housekeeper?

Primary Functions: The housekeepers primary function is to insure the smooth operation of the household. Primary responsiblities include daily making beds and general straightening, dust and polish furniture; sweep, mop, and wax floors; vacuum; and clean ovens, refrigerators, and bathrooms. They may also wash dishes, polish silver, wash, fold, and iron clothes; a few wash windows.

Secondary Functions: Other duties may include looking after a child or an elderly person (on an occasional or secondary basis, not primary occupation), cooking, feeding pets, answering the telephone and doorbell, and calling and waiting for repair workers. Housekeepers may also take clothes and laundry to the cleaners, buy groceries, and do many other errands. Most housekeepers are the only worker employed in the home.

A housekeeper may work five to eight hours per day, five or six days per week. A housekeeper may live in or live out. A housekeeper residing with their employer generally has living quarters separate from the family, either off the kitchen, on a different level, or separate accomodations on the grounds (carriage house, garage apartment, etc.)

Families generally expect a housekeeper to be dependable, careful, methodical, pleasant, and neat appearing. The housekeeper works under the minimal supervision of the family (adult member) but must be a self-starter, have high standards for cleanliness, and be able to take intitiative to generally avoid having the employer become involved in the day to day running of the home.